National Thunder Pair Issued Four-Match Ban for Official Verbal Assault at Afcon.

The National Thunder captain Carlos Akapo and fellow squad member Josete Miranda have both been banned for four matches for abusing the referee after their 1-0 defeat by Sudan at the 2025 Afcon.

The ruling was made by a disciplinary panel after it examined the official's match report from the Group E encounter on the weekend, a result that confirmed the team's exit from the competition.

The official stated that the two footballers "repeatedly uttered insulting and offensive remarks" towards him and his assistants following the full-time whistle.

"Such comments were made in a context of intense anger stemming from the loss, but nonetheless represent a serious violation of the standards of sportsmanship and fair play as well as the governing rules," noted the official.

A portion of the individual bans for Akapo and Miranda have been suspended for a period of one calendar year.

Tournament Consequences

The duo will be unavailable for their nation's final group match against their next opponents on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the country's governing body has been fined a sum of ten thousand dollars after its technical staff and squad members engaged in "excessive and aggressive protests" against calls by the officials.

The official documentation detailed there was "a steady deterioration in conduct on the touchline" following an unfortunate deflection by Equatorial Guinea defender Saul Coco in the second half.

Additional Governing Body Action

Elsewhere, the continental body have additionally fined Burkina Faso captain Bertrand Traore the amount of $10,000 for "offensive comments" uttered in a post-game media appearance after his side's 1-0 loss to Angola.